Chris Webb:
There was a grand little cafe at Canvey Island,not far from LCOW and Texaco,it was run by two oldish ladies and was open on a saturday morning,lovely breakfast,just right to keep yer going home to Sheffield. That was in the days before the new road from Benfleet was put in.
Talking about the cafes on the A38 Burton by pass,I never knew the Tree at Alrewas as any other name but the Tree.It was better than the Oakamoor as mentioned.The Y-pass was always my first call,just before the Burton turn-off,I only used Airport once and that was enough.
Atkins at Findern was a real good place as well,but woe betide anybody who parked in their garage area round the back,the foreman would be on the phone to your gaffer like a shot,bad news if you were on a dodgy,like a mate of mine who was booked off at Tewkesbury…
Ah, those were the days Charlie, no tachos. And even before that, no numbered official logsheets. No doubt you remember the time when the boss would print off a bunch of logsheets - my, how those were switched around to suit the moment.
Ste46:
Anyone remember the old pub/cafe on the A1 just south of the Quernhow and on the opposite side of the road - the Bedale Hunt if I remember right.
Steve
Hi “Steve”, I remember the Bedale Hunt, It was a popular stop on a Sunday for drivers heading South, In the 50s. onwards, In fact some drivers heading for London got too much to drink and ended up in a laybye and slept in on the Monday morning sometimes at Wetherby, Regards Larry.
Ste46:
Anyone remember the old pub/cafe on the A1 just south of the Quernhow and on the opposite side of the road - the Bedale Hunt if I remember right.
Steve
Hi “Steve”, I remember the Bedale Hunt, It was a popular stop on a Sunday for drivers heading South, In the 50s. onwards, In fact some drivers heading for London got too much to drink and ended up in a laybye and slept in on the Monday morning sometimes at Wetherby, Regards Larry.
Yes Larry a first stop on a Sunday night the Bedale Hunt then on to the Redhouse for food when heading for the smoke crowbar
Simon:
Now you mention it, the Coatesgate did have a revolving door . The parking was rough too.
The Red Moss was closed for a while (North from Abingdon). I believe it’s re-opened, again, but could be wrong.
The London Road Inn, at KP closed not long ago (Kirkpatrick Fleming).
I don’t remember the Whistling Kettle I’m afraid, but I’ve only been in haulage 15 years.
The one at Gretna, replaced by a Little Chef, was The Moss, just north of Carlisle on the Southbound side. It was right beside a BP. The BP’s still there, as is the Little Chef.
Funnily enough, a new one has recently opened not far from KP.
Do you remember the place at Ecclefechan where Westermans drawbars used to be parked up? Theres a proper bit of parking there now and that rough old shed has been replaced with some modern units. There is a porta-cabin cafe there and decent washing / toilet / shower facilities. They are planning to build a proper cafe.
There is another new one a little bit further north still. I understand that the people who had the cafe in the middle of Lockerbie have moved to just south of JB (Johnston Bridge) on the old A74. Theres a nice new cafe there with a decent parking area and all the usual facilities. They are finishing off a large bar area in there now.
That brings back memorys! stopped a few times at coatesgates,Beattock,u had to walk to the the digs,yes it had a Revolving door,the food was alright…
Another digs i used to stop was at Blackwood further up the other side of Lesmahagow,you always knew sumone there who stopped the nite,plenty of crack with Bolton Roadways drivers, The best digs was Silver Link,Kincardine Bridge,nice grub…Norman Croad,Torquay,Devon.
Simon:
Now you mention it, the Coatesgate did have a revolving door . The parking was rough too.
The Red Moss was closed for a while (North from Abingdon). I believe it’s re-opened, again, but could be wrong.
The London Road Inn, at KP closed not long ago (Kirkpatrick Fleming).
I don’t remember the Whistling Kettle I’m afraid, but I’ve only been in haulage 15 years.
The one at Gretna, replaced by a Little Chef, was The Moss, just north of Carlisle on the Southbound side. It was right beside a BP. The BP’s still there, as is the Little Chef.
Funnily enough, a new one has recently opened not far from KP.
Do you remember the place at Ecclefechan where Westermans drawbars used to be parked up? Theres a proper bit of parking there now and that rough old shed has been replaced with some modern units. There is a porta-cabin cafe there and decent washing / toilet / shower facilities. They are planning to build a proper cafe.
There is another new one a little bit further north still. I understand that the people who had the cafe in the middle of Lockerbie have moved to just south of JB (Johnston Bridge) on the old A74. Theres a nice new cafe there with a decent parking area and all the usual facilities. They are finishing off a large bar area in there now.
That brings back memorys! stopped a few times at coatesgates,Beattock,u had to walk to the the digs,yes it had a Revolving door,the food was alright…
Another digs i used to stop was at Blackwood further up the other side of Lesmahagow,you always knew sumone there who stopped the nite,plenty of crack with Bolton Roadways drivers, The best digs was Silver Link,Kincardine Bridge,nice grub…Norman Croad,Torquay,Devon.
Hiya,
The Silver Link buildings are/were still there a few years ago when I went past as
a retired lorry driver so not requiring digs it looks like a plumbers place I think,
my memories of the place, spotless clean, beds were a bit close together and
because of the early start men an early 5 00 AM call whether required or not Oh’
and those crown and anchor bed covers were always evident possibly retrieved
from a closed down merchant navy training establishment, it must’ve been OK
though I did stay there a good number of times over the years.
thanks harry, long retired.
The cafe at Blackwood was the Treefield Cafe. Got weekended there a few times.Good pub almost next door.Always remember the Silver Link. The guy behind the counter refused to give me any bacon because I asked him was it Kosher?. The guy behind me in the line said “he dont like Londoners”. I said “I come from the south coast”“.He said hes not good on accents!” Regards Charlie
Hi does anyone know the the cafe on the A19,goin north on A1 approach borobridge r/about,turn right on A19 towards stockton,cafe on left nr topcliffe,i think,there was another one sort of opposite,good grub,
Norman croad,Torquay,Devon.
dafdave:
Was that the greenbank,the s/bound was I think the knayton café.
regards dave.
Yes dave it was called Georges at Knayton, I stayed there many a time in the late 60/70s, There were very few sleeper cabs about in those days, The grub was spot on too, It was a bit noisey at night though with the trunkers coming in and out, One of the lads that worked there went to work in the Quernhow for a while, Happy days then IMO, Regards Larry.
dafdave:
Was that the greenbank,the s/bound was I think the knayton café.
regards dave.
Yes dave it was called Georges at Knayton, I stayed there many a time in the late 60/70s, There were very few sleeper cabs about in those days, The grub was spot on too, It was a bit noisey at night though with the trunkers coming in and out, One of the lads that worked there went to work in the Quernhow for a while, Happy days then IMO, Regards Larry.
dave IIRC The one opposite was called the Woodside, Which is still going as far as I know, Regards Larry.
dafdave:
Was that the greenbank,the s/bound was I think the knayton café.
regards dave.
Yes dave it was called Georges at Knayton, I stayed there many a time in the late 60/70s, There were very few sleeper cabs about in those days, The grub was spot on too, It was a bit noisey at night though with the trunkers coming in and out, One of the lads that worked there went to work in the Quernhow for a while, Happy days then IMO, Regards Larry.
dave IIRC The one opposite was called the Woodside, Which is still going as far as I know, Regards Larry.
Larry you are spot on mate,thank you. retired now not been up there for many yrs.They were both good cafes.Did the woodside get destroyed by a fire and rebuilt?My memory tells me it did.
re woodside cafe on a19? Yes it did burn out and was rebuilt,I found the meals quite good!
Use to n\out there a few times, on way to tees port, That’s going back a good few years.
trunker08:
re woodside cafe on a19? Yes it did burn out and was rebuilt,I found the meals quite good!
Use to n\out there a few times, on way to tees port, That’s going back a good few years.
Ime the same mate,late 70/80s I was running regular up to Hartlepool/s/land docks for pulp for paper mills in m/c area.
regards dave.
Lawrence Dunbar:
Any of old drivers remember the Beacon Cafe Bignels Corner South Mimms Big Time in its day boasted.75 beds ,never stayed there but the grub was ok. Regards Larry retired, well sort of.
Yeah Larry ,i stayed at the Beacon often,it was a days run for us working for Tayforth Darlington in the 60s,also used the pub The Middlesex Arms next door,what did they call the digs over the road?
My 2nd cousin twice removed Edith and her husband John Russell Fyson were the managers of the Beacon Café, South Mimms, in the mid 1930s. I have been trying to locate any pictures of the café, from the mid 20th century if possible. I have found, here on Truck Net, some of the very few references, on the Internet, to this café. I should be most grateful to hear from anyone who has such pictures.
The Beacon belonged to Robert (Bobby) Deard the haulage contractor whose depot was beside the North Circular. There was a big lay-by regularly used by heavy hauliers such as Pickfords. The original building at one time formed part of the South Mimms Services
Hilltop Cafe on the Doncaster by-pass.
There used to be a caravan on the top of the A66, got snowed in there once with my dad back in the 1950s. Used to be a great place, then the owner built a proper stone building and it went rapidly downhill
badyin:
Hilltop Cafe on the Doncaster by-pass.
There used to be a caravan on the top of the A66, got snowed in there once with my dad back in the 1950s. Used to be a great place, then the owner built a proper stone building and it went rapidly downhill
If you’re talking about Stainmore, I don’t agree at all. The original was an oasis on a freezing night with its big open fire warming the cockles about to drop off in those pre-heated-cab days. It was only much later when it closed and then the ex-pump office became a caff that the standard was more modern.
Maybe you’re not talking about Stainmore though, because I know they were there in the big freeze of 1947 and were a haven for the drivers stuck in the drifts. The photos were on the wall to prove it. But if you mean another place, I can’t think which one.
the portacabin at sourton cross on the a30 cornwall/devon border it was there when went to bridgend on a friday and when i went to exeter the folliowing wednesday it was gone i even got out of the cab and walked round doubting my sanity !!! also cynthias at lewennack just past launceston shut a while ago rumour was tax man but only speculation but she still has the van at two bridges on a30 just by the speed camera
. The parking was rough too.